All these analyses are forgetting one big reason: culture (and yes, cost too of course). The first office I built (out of 6 or so) was open plan, specifically b

All these analyses are forgetting one big reason: culture (and yes, cost too of course). The first office I built (out of 6 or so) was open plan, specifically because I was starting up a tech company in a conservative culture where the 'boss' was behind a close door (often a solid, non-glass door). Open plan meant not just more people per sq.mt. and cheaper construction (which it does, by an order of magnitude); it also meant that the boss was available for any question no matter how trivial by just calling out his name. That was a huge step back then. I know it's almost expected now (which is probably why we're ready to move to remote/open cultures) but you gotta remember why open plans were revolutionary when they appeared and what cubicle farms meant for the company values, not just its lease payments.